Field Marks:One of several Apristurus with the first dorsal fin half the area of the second or less. For other characters see diagnostic features and key to species.

Diagnostic Features:Body slender, / tapering gradually to head. Snout long, very broad, and bell-shaped, preoralsnout about 8 11% of total length; gill slits small, much less than eyelength; gill septa without projecting mediallobes or pleats but deeply incised; eyes small, about 4% of total length; nostrils broad, their width about equal to internarial space; incurrent and excurrent apertures small and oval, anteriornasal flaps low and angular; mouth short, moderately large, and very broadly arched, with dental bands not expanded and with lower ones falling just behind uppers; mouth and labial furrows below eyes; labial folds not enlarged, with lowers diagonal to body axis. Interdorsal space about a third greater than first dorsalbase, two-thirds of preorbitalsnout; first dorsal fin about half the area of second, base of first about three-fourths the length of second; origin of first dorsal slightly behind pelvic insertions; second dorsalinsertion well in front of anal insertion; pectoral fins rather small, anterior margins about 12% of total length; inner margins long, nearly length of pectoral bases; interspace between pectoral and pelvic bases short, slightly less than preorbitallength and about 10% of total length; pelvic fins low and angular; anal fin moderately long, low and angular, slightly more than 4 times as long as high, its base about equal to prebranchial space and 18% of total length; caudal fin elongated and fairly broad, without a crest of enlarged denticles on dorsalcaudal margin. Lateraltrunkdenticles of body with crowns fairly flat and close-set, surface fairly smooth and not with a feltlike or fuzzy texture. Colour dark brown without conspicuous white margins on fins. Adult size unknown.

Habitatand Biology:A rare, deepwater catshark, known only from the holotype.

Size:Over 29.7 cm maximum.

Interest to Fisheries:None.

Remarks:The above account and illustration is based on the writer's examination of the holotype. Springer (1979) noted that this species may be a synonym of A. platyrhynchus, but hesitated to synonymize it; A. verweyi is provisionally retained here.